Number of Processes Running on My Computer (Upgrade/Replac

saskabush · Joined: Dec 16, 2004 Posts: 30

Windows Fanatics - Dec 13-2009 suggests a reasonable numberer of processes running at any given time is 20 to 40.

Mine usually runs around 60.

Could you please advise how I can determine which of those processes should be left alone or how I can figure out what they are and which are necessary or not??

(Running Windows XP (sp-2) HP media center edition 2005)
(I routinely run disk clean up/defrag; reg cure and subscribe to my IP's [Shaw.ca] security system. F-secure)

Thanks all.

kenmabmcc · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 4:50 pm Post subject:

See this thread here http://help.lockergnome.com/general/modules.php?name=Forums&file=v...topic&a.

kenmabmcc · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 4:55 pm Post subject:

I'm sorry, I think I read you wrong...
try this one http://help.lockergnome.com/general/modules.php?name=Forums&file=v...topic&a

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

As the articles will tell you, be careful as this can break your system if you do it wrong. So make sure you have backups (image is best) or at least set a restore point before proceeding. - All the needed info is in the articles.

(disclaimer - not so sure about the system restore point but that is in the OS' help)

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2747

Start here http://www.pcpitstop.com/libraries/process/top
type a process into the search box and see if PCPitStop has information on it. If so, you can decide whether it is safe to disable based on the explanation. For those not found at PCPitStop, you might find information here http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/
Do not install anything from Uniblue, just read the information.
If both sites have no info, put the name in google and you will probably find the information you want.

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 2238 Location: Central FL, USA

One service at a time? Ya gotta be kidding me!
That could take the average user about a year! Evil or Very Mad

There are several well known and trusted web sites, like
http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

where you can see a listing of ALL the Services that can run in windows XP.
I went down through the list and wrote a batch file to disable all the Services that show up in the "SAFE" column.

I regularly disable about 20 services in XP. Even more in Vista or Win-7.

I even posted a list of XP "Services to Disable" on my own web site.
It's the Safest list I could come up with.

To see what services are set to run on your PC, RUN Services.msc and expand the windows to full screen.
Then you can scroll down through the list of services and see what's already running, etc. Right clicking on any service and then clicking on "Dependencies" in the upper tool bar will show you what other services depend on that service and what services that service depends on to run.
So, you don't want to disable any service that other critical services depend on.

If you disable a service today, and then need it next week, just re-run Services.msc and find the service and set it to Automatic and turn it on.
No foul !

Good Luck and Happy Holidays!

The Doctor Cool

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2747

We're troubleshooting running processes not services. The things running are not found on BlackViper's page.

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 2238 Location: Central FL, USA

Then define "Process"!

If "Processes" are not "Services", but programs, then there should never be that many programs running concurrently.

I would love to see the list of them. Confused

I see. You must be talking about the "Processes" shown in Task Manager.
I just looked at mine and with this forum open there are 20.

When I sit down at a new customers PC, sometimes, the Programs running icons in the system tray extend half way across the screen.
Usually, in MSCONFIG/Startup I can shut down most of those, that don't need to be running all the time.

It takes many steps to truly get GOOD performance out of any PC.
Shutting down unneeded Services and Processes are just two steps.

Doc Cool

goretsky · Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 1:37 am Post subject:

Hello,

If you open the Windows Task Manager (filename: TASKMGR.EXE) and select the Processes tab you will see a list of programs running on the computer.

In the case of Microsoft Windows, I would describe a process as a program which is run after the user logs in and could be active fpr that user's entire computing session. This is opposed to a service, which would be a program that is run with the startup of the operating system. That is my quick description from a moment's worth of though. Microsoft has a better (and more technical) description here in their Windows Developer Center.

A quick check of my computer reveals 62 processes running with 0-2% CPU utilization and 19% of physical memory being used. Obviously, that changes constantly, but is not unusual for a modern operating system and applications.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

pasquanel · Joined: Jun 20, 2005 Posts: 517 Location: Maine

Mine shows 57 processes running.